Vashon water taxi expands to seven-day-a-week service
Published 1:30 am Friday, April 3, 2026
King County Metro will add Sunday sailings to the Vashon Water Taxi next week, marking the first time the route will run seven days a week and extending a yearslong push to make the passenger-only service a more reliable link between the island and Seattle.
The summer pilot, announced Friday by King County Executive Girmay Zahilay’s office, will begin April 12, when the first Sunday boat departs from Pier 50 in downtown Seattle. According to the announcement, the route will offer morning, afternoon and early evening Sunday crossings between Seattle and the Vashon ferry terminal into early fall.
Dubbed “Vashon Summer Sundays,” the pilot builds on Saturday service added last fall and continues what has become a steady expansion of the route beyond its traditional weekday commuter schedule. Metro first broadened the service in June 2024 by adding more frequent and midday crossings.
“Vashon is a special place, and this pilot makes it easier for islanders to get to work, services and activities across King County, and for all of us to get out and enjoy everything Vashon has to offer,” Zahilay said in Friday’s announcement.
For Vashon riders, the added Sunday sailings mean a fuller weekend transit option at a time when reliable connections on and off the island remain a central concern. For Metro and local leaders, the pilot is also a test of whether seven-day service can better link Vashon to the rest of King County while drawing more visitors to the island during the summer months.
Funding for the Sunday pilot was secured through a combination of state and county resources, according to the release.
Metro said state Sen. Emily Alvarado and King County Councilmember Teresa Mosqueda, whose districts include Vashon Island, helped close the final funding gap.
“Reliable transit is a lifeline for islanders and key for mobility and economic activity for all of our communities,” Alvarado said in the release.
Mosqueda, who represents Vashon on the County Council, called the added service “a milestone” that will improve reliability for workers, create more recreational opportunities and strengthen connections to the mainland.
King County Metro General Manager Michelle Allison said the agency hopes the expanded schedule will make transit a practical first choice for both visitors and islanders, with water taxi riders able to connect to buses, Link light rail and streetcars serving destinations including Redmond and Federal Way.
“If you are planning a trip to Vashon this summer to explore Point Robinson Lighthouse or Maury Island, we want transit to be your first choice,” Allison said in the release. “By providing water taxi service every day of the week, the door is wide open to exploring the island.”
The Vashon Island Chamber of Commerce also praised the expansion, saying it would benefit both the local economy and islanders’ quality of life.
“We’re excited to see expanded weekend water taxi service for Vashon,” Elijah Berry of the chamber said in the release. “This kind of connection is so impactful, both for the local economy and for quality of life, making it easier for visitors to reach the island and for islanders to enjoy a day or weekend in Seattle.”
According to the release, the late Friday and weekend service will run through October 9, 2026.
Water taxi fares to and from Vashon are $7 each way for adults, or $6 with an ORCA card. Passengers 18 and younger ride free. Reduced fares are available for riders with disabilities, lower incomes and seniors. See the updated schedule here: kingcountymetro.blog/2026/04/03/vashon-summer-sundays-king-county-metro-water-taxi-pilots-seven-day-service-to-vashon-island-this-summer/.
